Kericho residents have welcomed improvements at Kericho Referral Hospital, saying the availability of modern equipment and expanded medical services has improved patient care and reduced the need for referrals outside the county.
The residents, however, want the government to continue investing in the facility by expanding diagnostic services, completing the planned cancer centre and increasing the number of qualified medical personnel.
Catherine Nafula, a resident who has received treatment at Kericho Referral Hospital for a long time, said she has witnessed significant improvements in how patients are attended to, examined and treated.
She said laboratory services have also improved because the hospital now offers more tests, allowing patients to have their conditions assessed more effectively.
"Patients are now attended to well, checked properly, treated better, and laboratory services have improved because more tests are now available," she said.
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Catherine said she would like the hospital to expand its testing capacity to include cancer screening and tests for diseases such as cholera, allowing patients to establish their conditions early and receive treatment in good time.
Dr. Rotich Joseph said the hospital has developed into a major healthcare facility serving the South Rift region, with thousands of patients now accessing services that previously required referrals to other hospitals.
He said the introduction of services including CT scans and dialysis has reduced referrals to Eldoret and Tenwek, allowing patients to receive specialised treatment closer to their homes.
"Services such as CT scans and dialysis are now available at the hospital, reducing referrals to Eldoret and Tenwek and helping patients receive treatment closer home," he stated.
Dr. Rotich said modern equipment provided by the national government has strengthened patient examination and diagnosis, enabling doctors to identify medical conditions more accurately and provide appropriate treatment.
He said the additional machines have also helped reduce congestion, while patients who previously had to travel outside Kericho for treatment can now receive services within the county.
Peter, another Kericho resident, said healthcare services at the referral hospital have improved over time, particularly following the upgrading of the facility.
He noted that services such as scanning are now available, while referral services have also improved compared with the situation in the past.
Peter said residents are now looking forward to the completion of the promised cancer centre, which he said would expand access to cancer-related services within the county.
"Residents now expect the hospital to move to the next level by completing the cancer centre that had been promised. Once completed, the cancer centre will help people access cancer services closer home," he said.
Peter said Kericho previously lacked services such as scanning, leaving residents more dependent on referrals, adding that the progress made so far was encouraging.
Richard Mutai, Chairman of Bunge la Mwananchi in Kericho, welcomed the new Sosiot maternity project, saying it would expand maternity care and provide additional space for mothers once completed.
He said the project would help reduce pressure on existing hospitals and make it easier for women to access maternity services.
Richard said he also hoped additional rooms would be provided where mothers could rest after delivery, regain their strength and prepare to return home safely.
"I also hope Kericho will get additional rooms where mothers can rest after delivery, regain strength and go home safely," he noted.
Richard said mothers previously faced limited maternity space, inadequate beds and overcrowding, forcing some women to seek delivery services at private hospitals where costs were unaffordable for many families.
Rose Kerubo, who has lived in Kericho since 2010, said the hospital has made progress in patient care and the availability of diagnostic services.
She highlighted the CT scan machine as one of the improvements, noting that patients previously had to be referred elsewhere to access the service.
"The CT scan machine is now available at the hospital, unlike before when patients were being referred elsewhere for the service," she said.
The improvements at Kericho Referral Hospital come amid wider changes in the public healthcare system under the Social Health Authority (SHA).
According to SHA CEO Mercy Mwangangi, 32.3 million Kenyans had registered with SHA as of August 18, 2026, compared with a reported peak of 16.9 million members under the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF).
The number of healthcare facilities accessible to SHA members has also risen from 8,667 under NHIF to 10,713 facilities.
Mwangangi said SHA has financed 501,839 surgeries, compared with 227,741 surgeries during a comparable two-year period under NHIF.
Renal-care beneficiaries have also increased to 20,952, while approximately 50,000 cancer patients have received coverage.
SHA further reported that it has financed intensive care unit treatment for 28,031 beneficiaries, while 9.3 million Kenyans have benefited from primary healthcare services.
The authority has also financed deliveries for approximately 1.3 million mothers at a reported cost of Ksh17 billion.
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